SPORTING GUNS

RICHARD AKEHURST

OCTOPUS BOOKS
1972

A richly illustrated book by that traces the development of sporting guns and fowling related to con temporary history from the sixteenth century up to the present day. The author describes the various types of muzzle-loading guns and rifles created to meet the sportsman's need, the shooting quality of these guns, and gives lively accounts of famous gunmakers including James Purdey, Joseph Manton, Charles Lancaster and sportsmen with a historic past.

The inventions and developments on the continent such as the wheel lock rifle, the snaphaunce, flintlock, the mique-let, the Jager rifle, the Lefaucheux gun and subsequent breech loaders, and developments in America such as the Kentucky rifle, the repeating guns and rifles are discussed and special emphasis is given to design, decoration, tools and equipment.

The artistic lines and fineness of finish and decoration characteristic of great craftsmanship are visible on many of the guns illustrated, particularly the Damascus steel barrels.

24 x 21 cm. 96 pp.

Good + condition. Price clipped dust jacket very faded along the spine. Gift inscription on the front free endpaper, some light spotting to the top edge, otherwise clean and tidy.